Jin Patisserie - Culver City

This place is absolutely charming! Each time I've visited, there has been a bridal shower taking place. With its beautiful garden and friendly staff, I really feel "at home" in this cozy little restaurant. While they're best known for their chocolates—of which I always leave with a pair—the treats come in a lovely box that I've repurposed as a jewelry box. It's perfect for a cute girls' brunch or a sweet date with your significant other.

I tried their "Mysterious," "Passionate," and "Green" teacakes. The "Mysterious" is a passion fruit cake with hazelnut cream and spiced pineapple filling – it has a subtle yet lovely hazelnut flavor complemented by the pineapple. The "Passionate" is made with mascarpone, fresh passion fruit, and sweet mango filling; it's delightful. However, the "Green" teacake was completely tasteless. Perhaps the cakes with more intriguing names are better? During my last visit, I also sampled a few of their chocolates: mango kalamansi, black sesame, caffe, and sea salt caramel. These four mini chocolates cost me over $10, and to be honest, they weren’t particularly impressive. The mango kalamansi barely had any flavor, and the black sesame chocolate fell flat as well. While the caffe and sea salt caramel were decent, there are many better places to buy gourmet chocolates in LA. Overall, I don't think I’ll be a regular here because of the high prices.

The restaurant offers a vast selection of teas and a delightful assortment of small pastries and cakes that are both beautiful and delicious. However, the service can be a bit slow at times.